The right to strike for police officers

This paper addresses the complex and controversial issue of the right to strike for police officers in contemporary legal systems. It focuses on the legal restrictions arising from the specific nature of the police profession and its importance in maintaining public order, security, and the functioning of the state. The authors analyze the legal frameworks governing this matter in the Republic of Serbia, as well as in selected comparative legal systems, with reference to international standards and recommendations, primarily those issued by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Council of Europe, and the European Court of Human Rights. The paper explores arguments for and against recognizing the right to strike for police officers, including security-related, ethical, professional, and political considerations. Special attention is given to possible alternative mechanisms for exercising labor and social rights of police officers, such as collective bargaining, arbitration, and institutional protection through trade unions. The aim of the paper is to provide a balanced and well-argued contribution to the professional and academic debate on the limits and possibilities of exercising the right to strike in the security sector, with emphasis on the need to reform and improve the legislative framework in accordance with democratic standards and the principles of the rule of law.